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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28266999">Tiger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/allisondraste/pseuds/allisondraste'>allisondraste</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Friendship, Humor, Multi, Relationship Advice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:00:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>939</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28266999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/allisondraste/pseuds/allisondraste</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There's only one thing that could put a dumb grin like that on MacCready's face.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robert Joseph MacCready &amp; Female Sole Survivor, Robert Joseph MacCready &amp; Sole Survivor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tiger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerBreton/gifts">GingerBreton</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this over the summer, and thought it was about time I put it up on AO3 &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>MacCready wore an easy, distant grin that didn’t quite fit with his typical demeanor, like a dream lingering at the corners of his mouth. Any person making an educated guess about that look could have easily assumed the mercenary was in love, his typically sour face all doe-eyed and youthful, gazing out at nothing. He didn’t even notice when Charlie approached him as obnoxiously as she could, and barely even reacted when she snatched his hat and pulled it down backwards on her head. In fact, he didn’t move at all until she tousled his surprisingly clean hair with her fingertips.</p><p>“What the heck, Chuck,” he asked, swiping at her in a flustered attempt to snatch his hat back.</p><p>She moved out of his reach before he could even stamp out his cigarette and stand from his ridiculous spot in the dilapidated lawn chair, against a sea of faded pink flamingos. Charlie didn’t know how in the hell those, of all things, managed to survive the bombs. Adjusting her newly claimed hat, she smirked at the scowling young man before her. “You washed your hair.”</p><p>“So?” MacCready lunged forward for the hat and Charlie stepped backwards again. “I wash my hair sometimes.”</p><p>“Twice in a few days?” She clicked her tongue. “Whatcha hiding Mac? Who are you trying to impress?”</p><p>“Nobody.” He huffed and crossed his arms, comically similar to a pouting child.</p><p>“You were so off in la-la land, you didn’t even notice me walking by,” she continued to tease, “I’ve never had such luck snatching your shit.”</p><p>“I was just… thinking, Chuck. Geez. Leave me alone”</p><p>“Washed hair, thinking while gazing longingly out into the horizon.” Charlie paused for dramatic effect, slinging an arm around his shoulder “Are you—“</p><p>“Don’t say it,” Mac snapped, taking the opportunity to grab his hat back and pull the brim down to hide his expressive baby blues.</p><p>“You are!” She couldn’t stop the wide smile that spread slowly across her face.</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“You’re in love.” Charlie released his shoulder and trotted away to plop down in the lawn chair, kicking her feet up on the table nearby.</p><p>“You’re getting on my last damn nerve,” MacCready said dryly, not particularly seeming to mean it.</p><p>“Hey! That’s five caps to the swear jar big guy.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes. “How many caps do I have to put in the jar for you to mind your own business?”</p><p>The words stung and she slouched a bit, letting her legs slide from the table and back down so that her feet were on the grounds. “I’m sorry, Mac. I was just messing around. Didn’t mean to push you.”</p><p>He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it, and sat down in the other chair opposite to Charlie with a sigh. “You didn’t. I just…. I don’t know how to talk about these things.”</p><p>“Well, when a man and a woman love each other very much…”</p><p>A lopsided smirk cracked the edges of his expression. “I think I’m good with the whole birds and bees thing.”</p><p>“Oh. Right….well good because things were about to get real awkward.” She winked at him and leaned in. “What’s going on?”</p><p>“There’s a girl,” he explained tentatively, eyes flicking between the surface of the table and Charlie. “And… she’s not like anyone I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“Tell me about her.”</p><p>“Well, I mean of course she’s drop dead gorgeous,” he explained nervously, clearly beginning with the thing that came easiest.</p><p>“Of course,” Charlie remarked as if it were a given.</p><p>“She’s got these big brown eyes and freckles, and a dopey smile that, well… I’d do almost anything to see.” His eyes glazed over slightly, dreamy grin tugging at the corners of his mouth again. “I’ve actually done some pretty dumb sh— stuff to make her smile.”</p><p>Charlie nodded, chest swelling at the sincerity her friend had chosen to show her. “Been there, done that.”</p><p>“She’s also got this way of seeing the best in people.” He shifted in his seat bringing an ankle up to cross over his knee. “Like, when she looks at me it’s like she’s seeing someone different than the guy I look at in the mirror, y’know?”</p><p>Charlie laughed, fondly. So many times she’d avoided Preston’s gaze just because she didn’t compare to the person she saw in his eyes. “I do.”</p><p>Mac frowned. “Don’t tell me this is reminding you of Garvey. Christ.”</p><p>“Nope,” she lied, “Not at all! Completely different. Go on.”</p><p>“It’s weird. I’ve not ever felt like this before,” he admitted, “I mean I loved Lucy more than anything, but now… I don’t know. It probably sounds stupid to you.”</p><p>“You’re never going to have the same kind of love with two different people Mac.” She glanced down at her own hands, and the ring that still shown brightly on her left, and then back up to him. “But that doesn’t give them more or less value. You can still love Lucy and—“</p><p>“Love Ivy too,” he interrupted, jumping up to his feet.</p><p>“Oh, her name’s Ivy?” She brought her hand to her mouth. “That’s adorable.”</p><p>“I should talk to her, yeah?” Mac scratched at his chin nervously and adjusted his hat again, his collar, his sleeves.</p><p>“You look fine, Mac,” Charlie insisted, picking up a pack of gum he’d left on the table and popping a piece in her mouth before tossing the pack to him. “Chew some of this on the way.”</p><p>“Thanks, Chuck,” he said quietly.</p><p>“Go get her, Tiger,” she responded standing up and slapping him on the back firmly. “And don’t let her go.”</p>
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